Rita
is no more! Dt.19.04.2015.
He went as a guest speaker from India
to the international conference on molecular physics in 2002. He was Ramachandra the
youngest to be a professor in Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi. He
was very excited about this assignment at New York with little knowledge that ‘the
future decides the present’. The future can be so different!
First to his surprise was to meet Raghu
Das after fifteen years. Raghu was a year senior to him at Kharagpur IIT where
both of them graduated. Raghu never wanted to move abroad and settle
in USA. Destiny or compulsion or anything else brought Raghu to this place to hide himself permanently. He used US as a garbage
basket after he was accused of poisoning his wife with heavy dose of antipsychotic drugs. He otherwise had no escape from the strong Indian law
against domestic violence, dowry torture and attempt to murder a woman. There
was every possibility his wife might not recover from coma. He somehow managed to get a visa and God only knows how it
was possible.
Seeing Raghu there all the details flashed back to Ramachandra`s mind. He felt as if he can not tolerate his presence. He
forgot his purpose and could not calm his inner soul. How can he?
Raghu however was very cordial and did try to
make the atmosphere at peace. He introduced Ramachandra to his present wife
Liza and to his two daughters also invited him to his house. Asked about his
family and was surprised to know Rama still was a bachelor.
Rama`s talk was on the next day. He had to chair some sessions in each day. Rama in a confused state wanted to return back but could not know how to plan it.
Raghu`s first wife Rita Das was not an ordinary
less educated Indian girl. Raghu`s family was a prosperous family in
Bhubaneswar. Rita was the daughter of a very reputed family in Rourkela. She was born on Ramnavami in 1968 on the very
same day Ramachandra was born in the same IGH hospital of SAIL. The two
families stayed in front to front houses in sector eight. They grew up together,
read in the same school. Their parents being of very higher ranks in SAIL were
close to each other. in Other families near by were of
lower ranks. Ramachandra had another brother Akshaya. Rita was the only child
to his parents. They did not get another baby even if they wished one son. No
consultation or treatment was helpful. Whenever Rita asked for a brother she
was told, “Are they not your brothers, Rama and Akshi?”
"No no Akshi can be my brother Rama is a friend
only, a classmate can not be a brother. Rita always replied like this".
"Yes he can be. He is a twin born on
same day."
"No papa he is not my brother, he is my
friend". Rita replied.
Her grandfather chided,”How a boy can
be your friend, you are a girl?”
"Grandpa you are old you don`t know he
is not my friend he is my boyfriend," replied the innocent kid.
Everybody laughed. This did not change
her version till she was thirteen years old when suddenly she felt discomfort to
address him as boyfriend. Rama remained a kid for two more painful years to
understand why the girl`s behavior suddenly changed towards him. There
proximity being classmates sharing notes, doing discussion, sharing study related
information, competing to perform better than each other did never come on
their way to be less friendly. Rita was only an hour elder than Rama but she behaved like an elder sister. She
commanded him in all matters. Rama did never mind it. They were no more
comfortable when other friends commented them as boyfriend or girlfriend.
Rama somewhere secretly felt for it and never could express it throughout his
adolescence.
Time passed as it always does. They
were in IIT kharagpur. Suddenly roles reversed and Rama was expected to behave
as a bonsai guardian to Rita. It was expected from him to be her protector,
companion, marketing boy and everything. Rama did not mind it, rather felt
elevated.
Rama shared the same room with his
senior Raghu in the twin bedded room in the hostel.
Handsome Raghu had all attributes to attract
girls because of his many extracurricular activities in addition to his high
standard of academics. His only problem, he was aware of it and over tried
using it. No girl could be a friend of him for a period more than six months.
In IITs by that time also the eve’s population was too low and Raghu almost
tried and failed with all. That made Raghu prominent as a failure in keeping a
relationship. Being Rama`s senior roommate and very helping to him he never
could speak ill of Raghu even in front of Rita. However he guessed a day may
come Raghu would propose Rita when the selfish and self centered room mate once
told that a lucky guy is going to get Rita. He analysed in a very mean way that
Rita having no brother and plenty of parental wealth was a fortune to his
husband.
Ramacahandra became restless. He felt
to ventilate this to Rita but hesitated as she may mistake it. He had self doubt. Was he not panicked? Did he love her? What was his main intention, to
warn or to distract her? Was it not premature before a real such thing was
initiated by Raghu? Many questions came to his mind that prevented him to
gossip against Raghu.
He also felt; it would not be easy to
face Raghu when he eventually asked about Rita`s relationship to himself. What
actually he did feel for her? No, nothing!
Once he became sure about it he
gathered the courage to think why not? There must be something in her mind
which she was unable to tell being such a sober girl. Even if there was nothing
there was no wrong to propose which he felt was the most appropriate at that
moment to block her being approached by a crook.
With no exaggeration Ramachandra
proposed Rita on the very next day with clear voice that he wanted to make her his
life partner and it was not a joke.
Rita didn`t take it as a joke remained
silent for about an hour in a garden lawn, choosen for this special purpose. Not only Rita
but the whole atmosphere became silent. The breeze stopped, with it the tiny
plants to the big trees all stopped moving to and fro. The movement of people
stopped, the couples stopped romancing, the ice cream vendors and the thella owners
were looking each other with a complaint of not being consulted and no such
proposal should be thrown without offering an icecream first. The lightman
forgot to switch on the lights in time and dusk landed early. Rama felt the
wait was not for moments bot for years.
Rita answered with a question,”Do you
really love me and feel me as your girl friend?”
Another half an hour passed.
“No not at all” replied Rama. “Our
relationship is more than any confined sense, but that does not make my
proposal with lack of sincerity, after all we are adults and we are going to
settle with someone in near future and you know your parents believe they would get a son after your marriage.”
“That may be a bogus idea but my
parents are still hopeful for which they didn't opt for IVF as offered by the
treating physician and prepared to do it after my marriage.”
“You must be happy Rita, they did not
arrange your marriage at the age of sixteen as people with this type
superstitions usually do.”
Once again they preferred silence and
finally Rita told, “Thanks for daring to propose me but ‘boy’ I always felt you
as a real brother, I can never accept you as anything other than a younger brother.”
She brought his head closer and without
any consciousness to the surrounding kissed his forehead that put a big full
stop to Rama`s proposal. With this the park lights were switched on, the vendors
went to business and sky above was with a beautiful star studded full moon that
the artificial light dared not to fade its magnificence.
Rama now had no other option to stop
Raghu entering Rita`s life which he eventually did.
With obvious but different reasons both
side parents took special interest to arrange their marriage once Raghu
finished his graduation and Rita had another year. Rita was only twenty by that
time. Raghu`s age however was twenty four as he entered IIT after wasting three
years.
Initially there was no problem and
nothing was expected from Rita`s family with a hope that everything is going to
be attached to their family in future. The house at Rourkela, the duplex at
Bhubaneswar, the vast ancestral property in their village and everything was
for the only child Rita.
Rita`s mother was forty years old and
they confidentially did the IVF at the best available center in Singapore and
the Baba got the undue credit of his prediction coming true. After waiting some
months they spilled the bin when there was no chance to hide it any more.
Rita`s honeymoon turned nightmare
thereafter. Suggestive taunts increased day by day. They could have done this
or that, could have got so much wealth as dowry. Beautiful girls were making
bee lines. Housewife was the best for a family. He could have gone to USA and
so on. She had no importance being an IIT educated girl as she preferred a
teaching job in a private Btech college thinking to settle at Bhubaneswar. The
college however gave her due importance and showed her name prominently on the
board with IIT tag. Raghu entered MBA study.
When Rita started feeling hurt and
tried to ask Raghu to come to her rescue the man turned a deaf ear. He added
salt to the wound, “What wrong were they telling?”
Things worsened as Rita`s parents were
blessed with a son, Rita`s third brother after Rama and Akshi
He started beating her. Rita being an
educated lady from an aristocratic family could not accept it neither he had
any intention to tell her parents about the matter as they may be very upset
for planning a second child.
The situation was very complicated. She went to
depression and behaved abnormal. She could not sleep; idea of suicide always came to her mind. The matter went to the extent that she had to lose her job.
When she consulted a psychiatrist the thing was further complicated. What drug
can cure one`s depression when the triggering factor increased day by day. No
psychiatric treatment is possible without family support. Rita was able to
judge her problem and she at last wanted to talk to Rama the one who never can
betray her.
Rama on receiving the call from his
Mtech study at IIT Delhi rushed back to Odisha and immediately went to meet her
in the most hostile environment. He was greeted with very filthy language with
character assassination. He warned Raghu about the law of the land. Raghu was
more abusive. The police turned a deaf ear and rather advised Rama not to
interfere in the private matter of a respected family.
Raghu felt helpless and went to
Rourkela to discuss the matter.
Rita`s parents felt that the ground below was giving away space to engulf them. Rama`s parents
were very upset. They had one known close relation in home department who was
immediately contacted and they promptly came forward to help.
It was too late and Rita was already in
the ICU. The matter was painted as a case of attempt to suicide by taking toxic
amount of antipsychotic drugs.
Raghu was never seen there after.
She was flown to New Delhi AIIMS.Eventually she survived and was discharged.
She no more was Rita who once denied Rama`s proposal with a never before and
never to happen in future novel way of kissing the proposer`s forehead. She
was an infant to be taken care and care at a place very close to the best
hospitals.
There was no other way other than keeping her with Ramachandra.
Rama`s parents were equally with tear and it was too difficult to value those meaningful liquid humanity.
Years passed she remained as a
vegetable. Akshaya got married. Parents of Rita and those of Ramachandra valued
humanity above any other thing. It was felt absolutely normal that Rama
stayed there at Delhi taking care of Rita for ever. Once retired his parents
shifted to Delhi and stayed there to help him.
Rita`s parents with their young son and
with Akshaya and his wife are staying together at Rourkela as Akshaya is an
employee there.
Meanwhile Ramachandra excelled in his
research and his papers were published in different journals at regular
intervals. However he never could move out of Delhi.
His new paper he believed was of merit
and it would be injustice to decline the invitation.
He prayed Rita to take food from the
hands of his parents, he also called Rita`s parents for a temporary visit to
Delhi. Rita nodded affirmative. When she said anything as yes she will try to
bring Ramachandra`s head closer and kiss on his forehead. The scene always brought his parents to tear and Ramachandra or anyone else never had the
capacity to describe that tear, ‘inexpressible’.
So finally Ramachandra left Rita and
she smiled and kissed him. That smile was meaningful Ramachandra even at this
difficult moment to bid farewell to his heavenly duties towards a girl, towards
humanity, towards brotherhood, towards his childhood girlfriend, as a mother taking care of a woman kid and towards
his once upon a time proposed bride, could sense she was improving and time is
not far when she can serve a cup of tea to him.
He was completely absorbed with
all these flashbacks when Raghu made him remember the time to chair a session.
He was at pain to do the job. He wanted to lodge a complaint to the strong
policing of that land. He wanted to know how Raghu could evade the multilayered
security system to get the entry to this land of justice. He seriously felt
there was a breech in the wall which if exposed would be helpful to US authority too. He could not finalise his next course of action.
Suddenly his cell in silent mode
blinked not once but several times from his land line at Delhi, from his
father`s mobile, from the number of Rita`s father and at last from her number.
It was not possible to pick it up. A message came in; a video was sent with
Rita having epilepsy for last ten minutes without break. They were taking her
in an ambulance.
Oh my God probably she was not given
tabs of epsolin, valparin and clonazepam in right dose. May be they skipped any
of them or all of them. Rita had not suffered from epilepsy for the last one
year. He was undone, could not do
anything other than holding the arms of his chair with very tight grip. He
prayed God and hoped she should reach in time to get life saving care.
After half
an hour message from his father`s mobile, “Rita could not be saved”.
Rama was no more a Rama he picked up
the metallic flower vase and with his all effort smashed it on the forehead of
Raghu exactly on the same spot where Rita must have done many things in past.
He was instantly arrested. Raghu was
rushed to the hospital.
He pressed everything to the jury. He
is now in New York jail with a five years rigorous imprisonment as a convict of
attempt to murder.
His notes were taken seriously and a
detailed inquiry was done in cooperation of authorities of both the nations.
Seven of the persons were charged for their role to bring in a criminal of a
friendly nation to the land of justice.
Raghu was expatriated as his crime was
done in India which now was converted to a case of murder. He can never escape
as the case turned to be a very high profile crime discussed in several
countries.
Rama is not very much unhappy with the
turn of the events and his research work is well continuing in a calm and quiet environment created inside the USA jail.
Raghu is inside Tihar. (Report as on 2006)
